Career Summary

Biography

Research Expertise
Overview
The inner world and subjective distress of children who have been harmed and emotionally deprived is mysterious and largely unknown. My journey towards understanding the minds of such children, as well as the causes of their psychic impairment, began in 1989, when I started to work as a child and family psychologist in child protection and alternate care. Aside from realising that working with such children was a great privilege, I was struck by the absence of empirical knowledge about their mental health and well-being of the lack of conceptual frameworks, of various phenomenological mysteries, and a reliance on non-standardised and subjective measurement tools. Few people in the world had researched these issues for maltreated children, and even fewer had looked in any detail at the problems of children in care. Over time I resolved to devote my lifes work to pursuing such research questions, and to develop more specific measurement tools, in the hope that this might lead to better prevention, identification and treatment of the psychological problems manifested by such children. I was also motivated by a strong intellectual curiosity. With this in mind I completed graduate training in psychiatric epidemiology, established a Psychologists Research group in the NSW Department of Community Services, and embarked on the Children in Care study.
Both the Children in Care study and the development of the Assessment Checklist for Children (see descriptions below) represent groundbreaking research in this specialised field. The findings from these studies are contributing to re-conceptualisation of the development and psychiatric problems of children in care. For example, patterns of aberrant eating behaviour have been identified for the first time in this population, leading to the proposal of a syndrome (termed Food Maintenance Syndrome). Some of the findings and theoretical formulations that have come from this research are published or submitted for publication (see publication list), while further research questions are to be addressed in a follow-up study (commencing later this year). With over half of the several hundred thousand children residing in long-term alternate care in the developed world estimated to have some form of psychiatric disturbance, my research program has major public health significance.
Research interests
* Developmental psychopathology, with special interest in the epidemiology, phenomenology and determinants of psychopathology among maltreated children, and children in alternate care
* Social policy for high-risk children (especially regarding primary prevention of psychopathology)
* Measurement and screening of mental health problems and attachment difficulties among children in care
* Attachment disorders, and the spectrum of attachment difficulties
* Significance of loss and disrupted attachments among maltreated children entering care
* Mental health of inter-country adoptees
* Mental health of indigenous children
* The mental health and wellbeing of children in rural and remote communities
* Teaching health equity
* Remote problem-based learning
Research skills / experience
* Large-scale epidemiological research
* Test development, psychometrics, mental health screening
* Phenomenological investigations and enquiry
* Qualitative methods
* Data analysis (STATA) and database management
* Meta-analysis and clinical reviews

Teaching Expertise
University of Canterbury
2006 - Engaged to teach in the Master of Education (Child and Family Psychology) and Post-Grad Diploma in Child and Family Psychology. Lecturing in the practicum and internship years.
Practicum Year: Professional Development in C+F Psychology
C+F Psychology Practicum
Internship Year: Advanced Academic Development
Advanced Professional Practice
Structuring and Examining Professional Practice
2006 - 2007 Supervision of 5 Masters research theses and dissertations
University of Newcastle
1996 - 2005 MEDI6190 Psychiatric Epidemiology
Postgraduate 1 semester course. Initially internal, later distance learning
Elective for postgraduate programs in Population Health (Clinical epidemiology, Health Social Science, etc), Drug and Alcohol Studies, Nursing and Psychology.
2004 - 2005 MEDI6290 Psychological Solutions
Postgraduate, 1 semester course by distance learning. Elective for postgraduate programs in Population Health (Clinical epidemiology, Health Social Science, etc), Drug and Alcohol Studies, Nursing and Psychology
2003 - 2006 MEDI3014 Health Equity Selective
Year 3, Bachelor of Medicine. Offered four times a year. Innovative approach to medical education, replacing the traditional clinical health elective. Students focus on social disadvantage, access to care, and health inequity. Consists of a common week of teaching and an eight-week health equity field placement in one of eight streams: Aged and Community Care; Indigenous health (mostly in remote Aboriginal communities); Global Health (in developing countries); Rural Health (with rural physicians); Mental Health; Child Health; Prison Health; and Drug and Alcohol health.
2001 - 2006 Coordination and delivery of all Psychiatry training in Year 3 of the medical degree
2001 - 2005 Supervision of mental health clinical reviews by Year 3 medical students (NUGGETS)
2005 Problem-Based Learning Tutor for Year 2 medical students

Administrative Expertise
University of Newcastle
2004 - 2005 Member of the Medical School Executive
2003 - 2006 Director of Health Equity training, responsible for academic supervision of six academic stream coordinators within the Health Equity Selective
2003 - 2006 Member of the Bachelor of Medicine Program Committee
University of Canterbury
2006 - present Acting Programme Director, Postgraduate Child and Family Psychology programme
2007 - present Coordinator of Postgraduate Studies, School of Educational Studies and Human Development
2006 - present Chair of the Postgraduate Examination Committee, School of Educational Studies and Human Development
2006 - present Privacy officer, School of Educational Studies and Human Development
2007 - present Standing Faculty representative on the Academic Appeals Committee
Course co-ordination
University of Newcastle
1996 - 2006 MEDI6190 Psychiatric Epidemiology (Postgraduate)
2004 - 2006 MEDI6290 Psychological Solutions (Postgraduate)
2003 - 2006 MEDI3014 Health Equity Selective (Year 3, Bachelor of Medicine)
2001 - 2006 Coordination and delivery of all Psychiatry training in Year 3 of the medical degree
University of Canterbury
2006 - present EDUC623 Professional development in Child and Family Psychology (Practicum year)
EDUC624 Child and Family Psychology practicum (Practicum year)
EDUC501 Advanced academic development (Internship year)
EDUC502 Advanced professional practice in Child and Family Psychology (Internship year)
EDUC503 Structuring and examining professional practice (Internship year)
2007 EDUC616 Applied Developmental and Paediatric Psychology (Foundation year - co-coordinator)
Research management
1997 - ongoing Chief investigator of the Children in Care Study. (Recruited and supervised three research staff)
1999 - 2000 Project manager of the Disruptive Behaviour Study (Recruited and supervised seven research staff)

Qualifications

Graduate Diploma in Epidemiology, University of Newcastle

Bachelor of Arts, University of New England

Bachelor of Arts (Honours)(Psychology), Macquarie University

Keywords

Attachment disorders

Development of multidisciplinary mental health learning modules

Developmental psychopathology

Ecological analysis and complex formulations

Foster care

Health Equity Training in Medicine

Kinship care

Problem-based learning for trainee Psychologists

Professional training in Child and Family Psychology

Psychiatric Epidemiology

Social care policy

Fields of Research

Code

Description

Percentage

111499

Paediatrics and Reproductive Medicine not elsewhere classified

20

169999

Studies in Human Society not elsewhere classified

30

170199

Psychology not elsewhere classified

50

Professional Experience

UON Appointment

Title

Organisation / Department

Academic appointment

Dates

Title

Organisation / Department

1/01/2010 -

Editorial Board - Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry

Clinical Child Psychology and PsychiatryAustralia

1/05/2009 - 1/05/2010

Visiting Research Fellow

University of BristolPolicy StudiesUnited Kingdom

1/04/2009 - 1/12/2009

British Academy Visiting Fellow

The Britiah AcademyUnited Kingdom

1/01/2009 -

Senior Lecturer (Above the Bar) in Child and Family Psychology

University of CanterburyNew Zealand

1/04/2008 -

Deputy Director of Health Sciences

University of CanterburyHealth Sciences CentreNew Zealand

1/01/2008 -

Deputy Director of Health Sciences

University of CanterburyNew Zealand

1/02/2006 -

Conjoint Senior Lecturer in Psychiatry

University of NewcastleSchool of Medicine and Public HealthAustralia

1/02/2006 -

Senior Lecturer In Child and Family Psychology

University of CanterburyNew Zealand

1/01/2006 -

Conjoint Senior Lecturer in Psychiatry

University of NewcastleAustralia

1/01/2001 - 1/02/2006

Lecturer in Psychiatry and Epidemiology

University of NewcastleSchool of Medicine and Public HealthAustralia

1/01/1999 -

Membership - Australian Psychological Society

Australian Psychological SocietyAustralia

1/01/1999 - 1/01/2000

Research Psychologist

Hunter Area Health Service

Membership

Dates

Title

Organisation / Department

Trustee - Cholmondeley Children's Home, Christchurch

Cholmondeley Children's Home, ChristchurchNew Zealand

Member of the Research Advisory Committee

Life Without Barriers Fostering ServiceAustralia

Member - Australian Psychological Society

Australian Psychological SocietyAustralia

Professional appointment

Dates

Title

Organisation / Department

1/01/1999 -

Consulting Child and Family Psychologist

Self EmployedAustralia

Invitations

Participant

Year

Title / Rationale

2005

Tarren-Sweeney, M. Out-of-Home Care & Outcomes for Children & What works best? Seminar presentation for the NSW Department of Community Services, Sydney June 30, 2005

2004

Tarren-Sweeney, M. Assessment of Children in Care. Invited presentation at Clinical and Psychometric Assessment in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Practice conferenceOrganisation: Sydney University

Publications

For publications that are currently unpublished or in-press, details are shown in italics.

Chapter (2 outputs)

Year

Citation

Altmetrics

Link

2011

France K, Tarren-Sweeney MJ, 'Preparing psychologists to work within the Family Court', Psychology and the Law in Aotearoa New Zealand, The New Zealand Psychological Society, Wellington, NZ 95-108 (2011) [B2]

2007

France K, Annan J, Tarren-Sweeney MJ, Butler H, 'Beyond educational and clinical psychology: working with children, families and the agencies that care for them', Professional Practice of Psychology in Aotearoa New Zealand, The New Zealand Psychological Society Inc., Wellington, NZ 467-485 (2007) [B2]

Tarren-Sweeney M, 'Setting the bar higher: What information do we need to establish the effectiveness of mental health interventions for children with complex attachment- and trauma-related difficulties?', Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 18 3-6 (2013) [C3]

Conference (12 outputs)

Year

Citation

Altmetrics

Link

2010

Tarren-Sweeney MJ, 'Assessment of complex and severe mental health difficulties among children adopted from care, with particular reference to the Assessment Checklist for Children', 3rd International Conference on Adoption Research (ICAR3), Leiden, The Netherlands (2010) [E3]

Tarren-Sweeney M, 'Attachment- and trauma-related psychopathology among children in alternate care' (2009) [E3]

2009

France K, Butler H, Tarren-Sweeney M, 'Family Matters: Are we there yet guys? Conflict, process, resolution (?) in training New Zealand Psychologists to work with families', Presentation to the Annual Conference of the New Zealand Psychological Society, Palmerston North, New Zealand (2009) [E3]

Tarren-Sweeney MJ, Hazell P, 'The development and factor structure of the Assessment Checklist for Children (ACC): A rating scale of psychiatric problems specific to children in foster care', Book of Abstracts of the 16th World Congress of the International Association for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Allied Professions (IACAPAP), Berlin, Germany (2004) [E3]

2003

Tarren-Sweeney MJ, Hazell P, 'Development of the assessment checklist for children (ACC): A psychiatric rating scale for children in care', ASPR Conference 2003: Origins of Psychopathology: Programme and Abstracts, Christchurch, NZ (2003) [E3]

Report (1 outputs)

Year

Citation

Altmetrics

Link

1997

Tarren-Sweeney MJ, Hazell P, Carr V, Tadele G, 'Report of the pilot stage of the Children in Care Study: Technical report to the NSW Department of Community Services', University of Newcastle (1997) [R1]

Thesis / Dissertation (1 outputs)

Year

Citation

Altmetrics

Link

2005

Tarren-Sweeney M, The Children in Care Study: an epidemiological study of the mental health of children in foster and kinship care, and associated risk factors, (2005) [T3]

Research Supervision

Current Supervision

Analysis of qualitative responses to a national survey of parents of children with Downs SyndromePsychology, UnknownPrincipal Supervisor

2008

Development of an emotion knowledge intervention for treatment of disruptive behaviour among pre-school aged children.Psychology, UnknownCo-Supervisor

2008

Foster and kinship (whanau) caregiver perceptions of contact between children in care and their birth parentsPsychology, UnknownPrincipal Supervisor

2007

The prevalence of anti-social behaviour among children in Canterbury-region primary schoolsEducation Studies, UnknownCo-Supervisor

Past Supervision

Year

Research Title / Program / Supervisor Type

2008

Psychology, UnknownCo-Supervisor

2008

Psychology, University of CanterburyCo-Supervisor

2008

Functional asthma severity and impulsive behaviour in 6 and 7 year old childrenPsychology, UnknownCo-Supervisor

2008

Therapeutic and support service provision for children with dual intellectual disability and emotional and/or behavioural difficulties in Christchurch, New ZealandPsychology, UnknownPrincipal Supervisor